Don’t Get Scammed! 5 Ways to Know If Your Electrician Is Overcharging You

Families there aren't getting ripped off can't be the same price and why it's essential in avoiding unnecessary expenses. The customer just going, oh, well, no, she'll be right. We'll just go for this cheapest price.

As they always say, the poor man pays twice without gaining another quote, it can be a bit difficult.

Hey, guys, welcome to the Builder's Edge. Hello, I'm Norm Wales from Norm Wales Constructions. Now, for me, the whole purpose of this podcast here is to bring a little bit more awareness around the construction industry. I've been feeling for many, many years that there's not enough helpful information out there to support you guys to make the right choice. Now, we are a smaller family independent building company and we're not here to build everybody's home, but we would definitely love to be able to work with you to facilitate your dream home. But if we don't build your new home, we want you to be able to make the right decision in choosing the right builder for you. So hopefully the information that I'm able to provide through this podcast can be informative and helpful that you can now create your dream home. So I hope you enjoy and thanks for watching.

So, Anthony, what are some red flags homeowners should watch out for when hiring an electrician? That might indicate potential overcharging?

I think a good one is just everyone wants someone that's laid back, but sometimes it's. It's difficult to deal with that sort of person. I think someone that's, you know, is. Is upfront and honest, you know, if they're not sure of, of.

How things will go with that job. But if they're explaining that and sort of, you know, making it understandable, I think that's probably a green flag if they're just communicating.

Yeah, very valid that, mate, for sure, like, it's.

A big difference of she'll be right to something that's actually someone's taking you down the right path and explained it and giving you the time and I guess helped you digest the information so you know you're making the right choice. So with that communication you mentioned, for sure, and like, mate, how can homeowners verify if an electrician is actually giving you a fair, honest, competitive quote that's, you know, within industry standards?

I think that without, without gaining another quote, it can be a bit difficult. I know myself just with the rising costs of things and even, for example, when I first started my business, I'd, you know, sort of someone go, oh, can you wire the shed? And you go, oh, in your head you go, oh, might be, you know, X amount 1500, you know, that should be enough. And then with the rising costs with, you know, labor and all the rest, you sort of finish up and you go, well, that actually came to three grand. And again, that comes down to experience and clarity, I guess, you know, and.

I guess that sort of brings us back to a bit of that communication in the beginning there. If things are done properly from the beginning and things are quoted.

Yeah.

It's been, you know, presented to the customer exactly where the costs are. You know, yourself as a professional trading, you know, your numbers, you know what, you know, things actually do cost.

Yeah.

You know, you can present that to the customer and you know that they should be able to understand that there. And I guess then the risk of the customer just going, oh, well, no, she'll be right. We'll just go for this cheapest price. What are the potential problems they could have with that?

Oh, there's, it's. As they always say, the poor man pays twice. Yeah, you know, we've. I remember a job we did in particular where a customer said he had had mains run to the shed and had it all sorted and it was ready for solar. And, you know, we've come in to build the house and. And run mains off the. The main. Well, initially it was supposed to be off the shed. We had a look in the. The mains were nowhere near right. We, you know, we had to dig up his whole backyard. We had to. I think it ended up being about 90 meters of cabling. And yeah, it's. It was. The worst thing was that we had to do it twice and the customer had to pay twice.

Then that's always a disappointing part, isn't it? You know, like, no one wants to be paying for things they don't have to be doing. But I guess once again, it's that communication and the lack of communication that I guess that homeowner, you know, thought he was getting the right thing done but unfortunately got led down the wrong path. Yeah, no, it's definitely a shame to see that happen. And mate, like with, I guess for yourself there, like, what are some of the hidden fees and unexpected costs, you know, that the homeowner can encounter and how can they be avoided.

With new homes? It can be a little bit difficult with it with extras.

Again, I think planning would. Would save a lot of it. Just getting a bit more of an idea of what's needed. What's, you know, for example, a pool. What. What appliances are you looking to run for the pool, for example, heater, pool pumps and things like that.

Where, you know, simple PowerPoint may just not be enough.

Yeah, look, that's a fair point there. Look, I guess when it comes down to wanting people to understand what they're getting and to avoid having those additional costs in that associated with that there, you know, the planning is the big part of that there, you know, and understanding how they're going to use that space and what's required. Yeah. So can you explain how an itemised quote benefits a homeowner and why it's essential in avoiding unnecessary expenses?

I think it just sets a nice clear cut sort of understanding. You know, a lot of, for electrical, a lot of things are quoted per point and I think that's probably just the easiest, simplest way to quote a house. And you know, if you want an extra PowerPoint, it's X amount. Yeah, the biggest, sorry. The other things that sort of come about from that is, is just changes. Obviously if they want a PowerPoint added in at fit off stage, it's, it's more than doable, but it's just not, it can't be the same price.

Yeah, I guess it's just an understanding of, you know, the timing of when things need to go in to make it more efficient, you know, and with like, I guess building a good rapport and open communication, you know, with the electrician like yourself, you know, how does that help in preventing, you know, overcharging, you know, like what does the customer get by building, you know, that relationship, I guess with yourself?

I think it's only human for everyone to want to have a good relationship with someone they're working beside. And quite frankly, if I know for myself, if, if I'm working with someone or for someone that, you know, he helps me out, I help him out. There's going to be situations where, you know, you'll let something slide or you'll, you'll go that extra mile for someone that you like, not someone that's, you know, made your life hard and then made the whole process difficult.

And I guess for yourself, Anthony, like what would be the biggest takeaway that you would actually give families when it comes down to doing this? So what would be the biggest takeaway to ensure families there aren't getting ripped off?

I think just using probably, you know, a good reputable builder who uses good, well known and reputable subcontractors. I think that comes, you know, hand in hand with the products they use as well. If they're a reputable company, they Want to be around then, you know, maybe not just in it for a dollar, but they're in it for a lifetime and a lifestyle. I guess then that comes down to the. The gear they use and warranties they offer.

So I guess, like, the. The biggest thing I guess I've taken away from this is that, you know, to ensure, you know, that the consumer is not being ripped off from the electrician, you know, it's really important that they are communicating.

Yeah.

You know, it's really clear with what they are wanting and they're very open and honest with, you know, what needs to happen, what requirements are there. Yeah. You know, I guess something that we see, you know, ourselves there, Anthony, is that everybody wants to make sure they're getting the most value for their money.

Yeah.

But as you say, if you're wanting it done right, the first time, you know, is best making that investment there at the beginning. So then you're gonna be paying twice.

Definitely. Yep. And. And if it's. Well, I guess to put it bluntly is if it's. If it's easier for. For us and it's generally cheaper for the customer. Yeah, it's sort of the way it goes.

No, perfect. Now, well, look, I guess, mate. Yeah, if people can sort of take that bit of advice on board that they're open and honest with you and they can build that relationship, just share that overall vision, you know, it's going to be better for both parties.

Yeah, yeah, definitely. It'll be a, you know, an enjoyable process. You know, I know there's. There's some customers now that we've done houses for, that I can walk out of. Out of here and knock on their door and we can sit down, have a beer and have a good chat and genuinely enjoy it. And it's not an obligation and not a.

Yeah, not.

It is. It is something that, even personally for myself, that, like, the relationships that you actually do build, you know, it's a very special thing, but that's the difference, I guess. There's, you know, people like ourselves and that out there that actually truly want to deliver the best we possibly can, you know, so. No, that's amazing, mate. And like, with, like, I guess with what you're saying there, you know, it's really important that people do invest in themselves and actually want, you know, that overall picture of what they're trying to achieve they do share with you.

Yep.

Now that. Fantastic.

Yeah, for sure.

All right, Anthony. Well, look, mate, it's got one more thing I'd like to sort of Dive into a bit there is that, you.

Know, there's a lot of stories out.

There about, you know, trade specifically ripping, you know, customers often that they're like, what stories can you share with me that you've heard or witnessed firsthand yourself of, you know, electrical company doing the wrong thing and ripping off the customer?

Yeah, it's. I find it's. It's usually when we go to fix something, you know, we. We come back to, you know, they want a PowerPoint. We've found this and, you know, we're like, well, that shouldn't be like that. That's sort of not right. That could be a bit better. And all of a sudden it's, oh, you know, you get talking about costs and things like that and.

Yeah, just sort of gouging and. And sort of doing like the old double double whammy of, you know, overcharging and doing an average job. It's.

Yeah, so. So really the customer hasn't got what they actually thought they paid for to begin with.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Quality or price? Really?

Yeah, definitely disappointing. All right, mate, well, look, one final last question, and it's what we like to call the get the no Norm jar.

But.

It'S always an interesting topic, this one. All right, what do we have today?

Okay, if you say if you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

I'd probably.

Wouldn'T mind trading places with, say, Neil Armstrong or something to jump up on the moon there and just have a look. I don't think there's too many people out there that. That have done that. And just. Just for a day.

I like that. Actually. I wouldn't have thought of that myself. I thought you might have said something like Donald Trump. He'd live an interesting bit of golf and drama. Yeah, there'd be a bit of drama there for sure. No, mate, Neil Armstrong, I think that's. That's a winner. I actually, I like that one. So now, mate, thank you for your wisdom and everything you've shared today. It's been, yeah, very helpful and hopefully, you know, everyone watching has enjoyed, you know, with what we've, you know, covered and, you know, really appreciate people getting on board the Builder's Edge. So thanks for coming again.

Thank you for having us and it's, yeah, good to get it out there and get people talking and understanding what. What we're trying to do and y. That we're not just here for a buck, we're here for a job.

It is, mate.

Yeah.

It's about being here for long term, isn't it? You know, and we can only help so many people, but hopefully there's other great people out there like us, and I know there are. They get on board and do the right thing as we are.

Yep.

Wonderful. Thanks, Anthony.

Thank you.